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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. swing — in golf
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bulb — for light
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. cap — a lid
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. current — happening now
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. snap — to click
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. lie — to recline
  19. cap — a hat
  20. current — of water
  21. swing — to play on
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. swing — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com